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The effect of lemongrass (Cymbopogon nardus) extract as insecticide against

Aedes aegypti

Article  in  International Journal of Mosquito Research · February 2019

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ISSN: 2348-5906
CODEN: IJMRK2
IJMR 2019; 6(1): 101-103
© 2019 IJMR
Received: 06-11-2018
Accepted: 10-12-2018
Zulfikar
Department of Environmental
Health, Banda Aceh Polytechnic
of Health of The Ministry of
Health, Indonesia, Jl. Soekarno-
Hatta Kampus Terpadu
Poltekkes Aceh, Aceh Besar
23352, Indonesia
Wiwit Aditama
Department of Environmental
Health, Banda Aceh Polytechnic
of Health of The Ministry of
Health, Indonesia, Jl. Soekarno-
Hatta Kampus Terpadu
Poltekkes Aceh, Aceh Besar
23352, Indonesia
Frans Yosep Sitepu
Provincial Health Office of
North Sumatera, Jl. Prof.HM
Yamin, SH No.41 AA Medan,
Indonesia
Correspondence
Zulfikar
Department of Environmental
Health, Banda Aceh Polytechnic
of Health of The Ministry of
Health, Indonesia, Jl. Soekarno-
Hatta Kampus Terpadu
Poltekkes Aceh, Aceh Besar
23352, Indonesia
International Journal of Mosquito Research 2019; 6(1): 101-103
The effect of lemongrass (Cymbopogon nardus)
extract as insecticide against Aedes aegypti
Zulfikar, Wiwit Aditama and Frans Yosep Sitepu
Abstract
Background: Various methods have been conducted either chemically or naturally to reduce mosquito
population, with the aim of preventing transmission of diseases caused by mosquitoes. However, it
should be endeavored in mosquito control activities not to cause harm to humans and the environment by
utilizing mosquito repellent plants, such as lemongrass. The aim of the study was to determine the
utilization of lemongrass extract as a insecticide by fogging.
Materials and Methods: It was an experimental research, the number of samples for each experiment
used 20 mosquitoes for treatment and control with 5 repetitions. The study was conducted in August
2015. Data analysis used a one-way ANOVA test.
Results: The average number of dead mosquitoes was 18 (90%). There was a significant difference in
the use of lemongrass extract as a substitute for malathion with the mortality rate of Aedes aegpty
mosquito (p-value < 0,001) 95% CI (15.69-18.31).
Conclussion: Lemongrass leaves and stems can be used as a substitute for malathion in carrying out
fogging activities. We recommend that extracts be made in the form of oil rather than liquid because they
are easily soluble in diesel fuel.
Keywords: lemongrass extract, insecticide, Aedes aegypti
Introduction
Indonesia as a tropical country is a fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes such as Aedes
aegypty [1] Concerns about the outbreak and spread of dengue infection disease, has resulted in
humans using chemical based insect repellents to eradicate the development of mosquitoes.
The natural host of dengue infection is human, the agent is a virus that belongs to the Flavio
family and the genus Flavivirus, consisting of 4 serotypes namely Den-1, Den-2, Den3 and
Den -4 [2, 3] transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes, especially the
ingredients of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus [3, 4] which is found in almost all of
Indonesia [1].
Various ways have been done either naturally or chemically to reduce or reduce the mosquito
population, with the intention of preventing or eradicating mosquito-borne diseases, or
disturbances caused by these mosquitoes [4, 5] However, it should be endeavored in mosquito
control activities not to cause harm to humans and the environment. Chemical cope with
mosquitoes, among others, by using mosquito repellent spray or mosquito repellent lotion that
has been circulating in the market [6, 7]
One of the efforts to reduce the rate of transmission of dengue disease is to reduce the vector
density of DHF chemically known as fogging [3, 8], which uses chemical active ingredients. The
number of cases of dengue fever requires proper prevention to reduce it. Resistance of Aedes
aegypti against insecticidal insects is a national phenomenon faced by disease control
programs in Indonesia. The occurrence of resistance will cause problems due to mosquito
borne diseases [3, 4, 9] Resistance to malathion has been reported in several locations in
Indonesia such as in Semarang City, Purbalingga, Kendal and Grobogan [10] and Medan, North
Sumatera [8]
Therefore, to reduce the negative impact of the use of insecticides from chemicals (synthetic),
other safer alternatives need to be developed so that the development of the life cycle of
mosquitoes can be hampered and cannot develop until adulthood. One of them is using
biopesticides (botanical insecticides). Biopesticides have advantages compared to synthetic
insecticides which are biodegradable so they do not pollute the environment and are safe for
~ 101 ~
International Journal of Mosquito Research

human health because the residual content is easily lost. fogging. Then 20 mosquitoes was puted in the confinement.
Biopesticides have the advantage of being renewable and Put the cage in the room let stand for 15 minutes so that the
more affordable [11]. Plants that can be used as a source of mosquitoes are stable and can adjust to the environment, then
biopesticides usually have a variety of chemicals such as aim the swingfong towards the cage with a nozzle distance of
alkaloids, glycosides, and other compounds that are toxic or 1 meter from the cage, do the smoke until evenly throughout
toxic [12]. the cage. Fumigation is carried out in every confinement.
The need for environmental friendly insecticides that are safe After 3 minutes the smoke was gone, and then the number of
for health can also kill mosquitoes and eradicate the larvae of dead mosquitoes was counted and the process was carried out
Aedes aegeypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, many until 5 repetitions.
studies have examined the use of vegetable isecticides [13]. The efficacy criteria for an insecticide were determined based
The use of chemical insecticides is now beginning to shift to on the percentage of mosquito deaths tested. Effective
the utilization of the secondary metabolites of plants as efficacy in accordance with WHO criteria, if the percentage of
vegetable insecticides. Naatural insecticides are safer for mosquito mortality was equal to or greater than 80%. The
human health, leaving no residue in nature, thus reducing mortality of the test mosquitoes was the number of test
pollution [14] The chemical compounds in several types of mosquito deaths when checked multiplied by 100%. If there
plants can be used as repellent, for example in the form of were deaths in the control group of 5-20%, the percentage of
mosquito repellents such as lavender, eucalyptus, lemongrass, mosquitoes obtained will be corrected by the Abbot
fragrant roots, cloves, and neem [15]. formulation.16 Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA
Lemongrass leaves are used as a repellent because fragrant analysis and continued with the LSD test.
lemongrass leaves are easily obtained in the community as
well as in the market and are also cheap. Research on the Results
protection of lemongrass (Cymbopogon nardus) as a repellent The results of the study of the number of mortality of Aedes
against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes mixed with liquid paraffin aegypti after fogging with lemongrass extract as a substitute
diluents on concentrations of 2.5%, 10%, and 20% and the for malathion can be seen in Table 1 below:
results of the research show that lemongrass protection is used
repellent against Aedes aegypti mosquito at a concentration of Table 1: Number of died mosquitoes after being fogged by using
2.5% [15]. lemongrass extract
In addition, the research has only focused on the use of No. of Lemongrass
extracts as a repellent for mosquito bites, there is no use as Repitition Control (%)
mosquito extract (%)
fogging material as a substitute for malation, the use of 1 20 1 (5) 18 (90)
malathion often causes odor, and the price is expensive and 2 20 2 (10) 17 (85)
unsafe for the residential environment. lemongrass. The 3 20 0 (0) 18 (90)
purpose of the study was to determine the effect of 4 20 1 (5) 20 (100)
insecticides from lemongrass extract (Cymbopogon nardus) 5 20 1 (5) 17 (85)
on fogging to kill the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Average 1 (5) 18 (90)

Material and Methods Table 1 showed the average mortality of mosquitoes in the
This was a quasi-experiment with the design of posttest only use of lemongrass extract was 18 (90%). The highest
control group design. The research subjects was Aedes aegypti percentage of dead mosquitoes was in the fourth repetition
obtained by the colony of the mosquitoes which were (100%) of the lemongrass extract. Since the death in the
breeding from larvae to become adult mosquitoes following control group more than 5%, so the Abbot correction was
the natural cycle of mosquitoes. The sample size for each conducted. It means that the death in the treatment group
treatment was 20 mosquitoes. The study was conducted in occurred due to other factors. Because it has been eliminated
June-August 2015 in the Laboratory of Environmental Health by the Abbot formula, and the results were as follows:
Department, Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Lemongrass extract was
% 𝑀𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝 −% 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝
made with 1 kg of lemongrass powder mashed and soaked X=
100−% 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑝
with 250 ml of aquades, soaked for 1 day, the juice is 100%
lemongrass extract. Then make a solution (mixing the extract 90%−5%
solution) by measuring the lemongrass extract and the solvent X=
100−5
according to the concentration and volume of the desired
85
solution using the formula: X=
95
SxAxD
Q= X = 0,89
C
Thus, it would be 18-0.89 = 17.11 death of Aedes aegypti.
Q: volume of pure extract (high concentration) Statistical test was conducted to determine the difference in
S: liquid concentration mortality in lemongrass extract as a malathion substitute
A: liquid volume insecticide. The result can be shown on Table 2.
D: specific gravity of solvent (fuel)
C: extract concentration Table 2: Statistical test result of death Aedes aegypti
The pesticides was mixed with the solvents on the jerrycan Variable Mean SD SE 95% CI P Value
and shaked evenly until it dissolved then prepare all the Control 1.00 0.707 0.316 0.12-1.88
necessary equipment and checked the cages that will be 0.000
Lemongrass 18.00 1.225 0.548 16.48-19.52
102
International Journal of Mosquito Research
The average number of dead mosquitoes in the use of
lemongrass extract is 18 mosquitoes. The statistical test
results obtained p-value <0.001 it means there is a significant
difference between the use of lemongrass extract as a
substitute for malation with the death of Aedes aegpty
mosquito.
Discussion
The results of the study on the use of lemongrass leaf extract
showed that the average number of dead mosquitoes in the
use of lemongrass extract was 18. The highest percentage of
died mosquitoes was at the fourth replication (100%), and
after the Abbot correction the total number of dead
mosquitoes became 17. These results showed that all
treatments resulted dead mosquitoes as well as controls,
which only use solar as a mixer. However, after the Abbot
correction showed that the difference is only a little, and
proves that lemongrass extract can kill the Aedes aegypti
mosquito by fogging.
The results of statistical test showed that the differences in
mosquito deaths between the use of lemongrass extract as a
malation substitute and the mortality rate of Aedes aegpty, on
lemongrass which was 18 mosquitoes so that the lemongrass
extracted could be applied as an insecticide because its
compound had lethal effect on the body condition of the
mosquitoe that can lead to the death.
Mosquitoes mortality after administration of lemongrass
extracts due to the activity of essential oils in lemongrass
works against the respiratory system. The main lemongrass
content is volatile oil with lemongrass components, and
geraniol. The larvacidal effect of lemongrass powder is
suspected from the lemongrass content found in lemongrass
stems and leaves. Lemongrass has a poisonous nature
(desiscant), according to the way this poison works like a
contact poison that can give death, due to continuous loss of
fluid so that the body lacks fluids, the mechanism of
lemongrass inhibits the acetylcholinesterase enzyme by
carrying out serine phosphorylation serine at the center of the
enzyme concerned [17]. Symptoms of poisoning, because of
the accumulation of acetylcholine which causes special
poisoning that is characterized by central nervous system
disorders, convulsions, respiratory paralysis, and death [18, 19]
According to the way it works, these chemical compounds in
the lemongrass extract are like contact poisons that can give
death due to continuous loss of fluids, so that the body of the
mosquito lacks of fluids [20]. At first this insecticide enters the
insect's body through the surface of the body, especially the
thin part of the skin, for example in parts of the area that are
related to segments, indentations formed from the body's
plates, at the base of the hair and respiratory tract. Toxins that
have been attached to insects will immediately enter the body
and this is where poisoning begins [17].
Conclussion
The average number of dead mosquitoes by using lemongrass
extracts was 18 (90%). There is an effect of the use of
lemongrass extract as a malation substitute insecticide in
fogging with the mortality rate of Aedes aegpty mosquito.
Suggestion
Lemongrass leaves and stems can be used as a substitute for
malation in carrying out fogging activities, besides being
cheap and environmentally friendly the smell is also liked by
103
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the community, We recommend that you make extracts in oil
preparations rather than liquid because they are easily soluble
in diesel fuel.
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